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Thursday, November 24, 2005

  • Network offers help for staff
  • Quantum step forward sees print
  • And much more on a snowy day
Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

America celebrates Thanksgiving

[US flag behind smiling pair] [Noble columns, flags mark building]

UW in NY: The first picture to arrive from the opening celebrations for Waterloo ICR Manhattan shows Canadian consul-general Pamela Wallin with UW chancellor (and Research in Motion executive) Mike Lazaridis. Yes, that's a UW leather jacket over his arm. UW president David Johnston is at far left. That was Tuesday night; then Wednesday morning a UW delegation rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and to mark the occasion one of the flags outside the venerable building was a Maple Leaf. Diane Wiles of the UW development office stands on guard. (Photos courtesy of Bob Kerton, dean of arts.)

Network offers help for staff

Staff members across campus have another source of help available with the creation of the Workplace Support Network, being announced in a memo this week from the university's Staff Relations Committee. With the memo comes a four-page Staff Resources Guide, including key information based on the so-called Staff Resources Wheel, which shows more than a dozen places staff can turn, from the human resources department to the safety office, the staff association, counsellors and the police.

"In 2002," says this week's memo, "the Staff Association conducted a survey entitled How's the Climate. Since then, the Staff Relations Committee has been working through the concerns raised by staff in their responses.

"One important and common theme noted was the need to provide staff with support in times of work-related and personal problems, and to make access to those support services as quick and comfortable as possible. . . .

[Wheel with 13 segments] "A new entry point has been added to the Wheel (right) -- The Workplace Support Network. This group, launched by the Staff Relations Committee, is made up of staff from a wide range of departments and backgrounds across campus. A person in need of help is welcome to contact any member of the Network to seek informal support and guidance. The members are volunteers and have been chosen to provide the broadest representation possible. The Staff Relations Committee offers this new initiative in response to staff commenting that they sometimes feel alone in a difficult situation. Talking to a peer can be more comfortable for some people than approaching a department or unit directly."

The memo lists 13 people who have had training to be members of the new Network. "Staff may contact any member of the Network to discuss a work-related concern. The Network member will listen to your concerns, normally within 24 hours, in whatever manner you wish (in person, via e- mail, by phone)."

"While the service is confidential," the memo notes, "anonymous usage data will be retained by the President of the Staff Association."

The memo also lists the members of the Staff Relations Committee, which is jointly chaired by Catharine Scott (associate provost, human resources and student services) and Avril McVicar (staff member in distance and continuing education, and past president of the staff association). And it notes four "other initiatives" that the committee is working on:

  • "The five basic principles, taken from the Leadership for Results training program, represent UW's fundamental approach to a civil and supportive workplace. Wall posters are being made available to each department and are intended to be posted in a prominent location. Keeping the principles visible and 'in mind' is the goal of this exercise. Look for a poster in your department within the next week."

  • "Policy 18 has been the focus of the Staff Relations Committee for many hours over the past year. A revised version will be put forward for staff review early in the new year."

  • "The University's commitment to Staff Training and Development will be reiterated in the revised Policy 18. Specifics of the time allotment each staff member may use on UW training and development programs will be outlined in the Policy. Staff are supported and encouraged to pursue training that will enhance skills and career path opportunities as well as support UW's atmosphere of lifelong learning."

  • "The Staff Recognition Award, which was part of the 2004-2006 salary settlement, has been in place for two years. While the Award is intended to be ongoing, the Provost's Advisory Committee on Staff Compensation made a commitment to review it at the end of three years. Comments on the award have been assembled, with more comments to be solicited in the coming year, and it will be the subject of an in-depth review."

    Quantum step forward sees print -- from the UW media relations office

    Researchers from UW's Institute for Quantum Computing, in a paper published today in Nature, have taken a major step forward in finding out how to make quantum information processing devices more powerful than today's computers.

    The paper in the prominent international journal, titled "A Spin-Based Heat Engine: Experimental Implementation of Heat-Bath Algorithmic Cooling," was written by IQC members Jonathan Baugh, Osama Moussa, Colm Ryan, Ashwin Nayak and Raymond Laflamme. It discusses how quantum computing seeks to utilize the laws that govern microscopic objects such as atoms and molecules -- quantum mechanics -- to make information processing devices fundamentally more powerful than currently available computers.

    "An important ingredient in the physical implementation of these devices is the ability to initialize the quantum carriers of information (qubits) and to keep them 'cool'," said IQC director Raymond Laflamme, who is a faculty member in physics at UW and a researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.

    The work describes the implementation of a powerful form of cooling, called heat-bath algorithmic cooling, in a solid-state nuclear spin system. It is a high-precision demonstration of this technique in a promising quantum information processing system.

    Reviewers noted that the paper is a significant contribution to the field of quantum computation. According to one reviewer: "This manuscript reports on one of the key experimental challenges in quantum information processing." A second reviewer said: "The experiment reported on in the paper is a carefully designed and meticulously executed piece of work. The result is a tour de force that marries experiment to theory in an elegant and convincing demonstration of the effect."

    Baugh is an IQC postdoctoral fellow working with Laflamme in the physics department. Moussa and Ryan are IQC graduate students in the department. Nayak is an assistant professor in the department of combinatorics and optimization.

    The Institute for Quantum Computing seeks "to advance knowledge in relevant areas of engineering, mathematics and science to enhance the developments in the field of quantum computation and information processing". The institute, which draws researchers and students in computing, engineering, mathematical and physical sciences, is funded through grants from federal and provincial scientific agencies.

    WHEN AND WHERE
    Miniature art show and silent auction, department of fine arts, preview all day today, sale Friday from 4:30 to 9:00, East Campus Hall.

    Germanic and Slavic workshop: Nicola Würffel, University of Giessen, Germany, "Internet Based Exercises and Task for Foreign Language Learning", 9:30, Flex Lab, Dana Porter Library.

    Educational games workshop: Jennifer Jenson, York University, "Digital Game Design for Learning", 12 noon, Flex Lab, Dana Porter Library.

    Consul-general of Japan Hisao Yamaguchi, "Experiences of Modern Japan and Its Foreign Policy Challenges", 12 noon, Renison College chapel lounge. Japan at Renison

    Music student recital 12:30, Conrad Grebel University College chapel.

    Forum for Independent Thought weekly session: corporate research ethics and responsibilities, 5:00, Student life Centre multipurpose room.

    Communitech annual general meeting 5 p.m., CIGI building, 57 Erb Street West.

    Ottawa alumni reception 5:30, National Gallery of Canada, details online. Alumni career planning workshop Friday at the University of Ottawa, $75 fee, details online.

    Information systems and technology professional development seminar: "Studio 8," Friday 8:45, IST seminar room.

    Arts research seminar: Kate Willink, drama and speech communication, "Creating Oral Histories," Friday 10:30, Humanities room 373.

    Vehicular technology: Yu Cheng, University of Toronto, "Quantitative QoS and Efficient Resource Allocation in Differentiated Service Networks," Friday 11:00, CEIT room 3142.

    Japan Video Topics: "Musical Instruments" and other cultural videos, Friday 12:10, chapel lounge, Renison College.

    The Inefficiency Committee of St. Jerome's University presents Alan Blum, York University, "The Question of Efficiency and Inefficiency as an Ethical Collision," Friday 3:30, Siegfried Hall.

    Benefit concert for Unicef's children Against AIDS campaign: classical, some African, two original student compositions, Sunday 2:00, Conrad Grebel University College chapel, donations invited.

    Music ensemble end-of-term concerts: UW Choir, Saturday 8 p.m., St. John's Lutheran Church, Kitchener. UW Stage Band, Sunday 2 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College great hall. UW Chamber Ensembles, Monday 7 p.m., Grebel chapel.

    2005 Hagey Lecture: John Meisel, Queen's University, "The Curse and Potential of Greed," Monday 8 p.m., Humanities Theatre, free tickets at Humanities box office. Student colloquium, Tuesday 10:30 a.m., Needles Hall room 3001.

    And much more on a snowy day

    The staff association's 12th annual craft sale runs today and tomorrow in the Davis Centre lounge -- today from 10 to 7 (the first time it's been open into the evening), tomorrow from 9 to 3. "Staff employees and retirees will be selling their talented crafts," the green flyer notes, listing the usual remarkable range: "wood crafts and tole painted items, homemade chocolates, candles, stained glass," and so on -- even paintings. Ten per cent of the proceeds go to student awards (the Senate Scholarship Fund and the association's own bursary), and there are even door prizes, including a BlackBerry donated by Mike Lazaridis of Research In Motion and quite a number of gift certificates.

    A memo from Steve Cook of the procurement and contract services department (formerly "purchasing") went rather widely across campus early this week, drawing attention to UW's contract with Enterprise Car Rental. "Our contract with Enterprise stipulates the rental fee include all insurance, fees, deductibles, service fees, etc.," the memo notes. "This is somewhat unusual . . . the best approach for UW, genuinely improving the process of renting a vehicle." However, the memo also notes that UW has a worse-than-average record for damage and insurance claims. "Please be sure to take care," Cook suggests.

    Civil engineering student Brandon Malleck will be bringing some warmth to the folks at his home church, St. Anthony Daniel Parish in Kitchener, this chilly weekend. He's scheduled to speak to three groups about an unusual volunteer expedition to summertime Jamaica, made jointly with his father, Geoff Malleck of the UW department of economics. It all started when the younger Malleck, unable to get to World Youth Day in Germany (spring term exam week), went looking for a community service project, and found Annotto Bay, Jamaica, where a local agency needed some help. Then it turned out that his father was able to make the trip as well. "Over ten days," the elder Malleck reports, "we helped put an addition on a small school, painted a tired classroom in another remote school in the mountains, and renovated a network in a school in the town. Throughout the journey we were provided with many opportunities to share and celebrate their faith."

    The student life office is planning several focus groups next week "to survey attitudes and opinions about Orientation Week programming and events", says special projects coordinator Rick Theis. "Data will be used to review how events and programming are being received." So he'd like to hear from first-year students who can spare an hour at a convenient time ("food and beverages will be provided") to join in such discussions. He can be reached at ext. 5643, e-mail emtheis@uwaterloo.ca.

    Tomorrow is officially the International Day for Eradication of Violence Against Women, and an information booth will be in operation all day in the Student Life Centre, with a speaker scheduled for 3:30. . . . Federation Hall is advertising tonight as one of its Fantasy Thursdays, with "Court Jester" and "Kid Kut" expected. . . . The bookstore's current remainder sale in the South Campus Hall concourse winds up today. . . .

    Kathleen Bloom of UW's psychology department, and students in her Psych 393 course, will be answering the phones Friday night for one of those pledge events on TVOntario. "TVO and UW have a partnership," Bloom explains, "and TVO is one of my partners in 'ResearchWorks! for Child Literacy', a community-university research alliance. RW is developing what we call an 'open classroom course' in which students learn research methods by partnering with community organizations. TVO is one of our partners."

    Tomorrow, the day after American Thanksgiving, is marked by many activist groups as "Buy Nothing Day", and the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group and the UW Greens group are bringing it to campus. "Millions of people around the world," says a WPIRG announcement, "will choose not to participate in the consumptive patterns that dominate western society." Organizers are planning a "swap table" from 10 to 3 in the Student Life Centre ("bring items that you no longer need, and trade for something new"), free food in front of the Modern Languages building from 12:30 to 2:00 (hot food, I hope), and the film "Koyaanisqatsi" in the SLC great hall during the midday hours.

    Finally . . . a month from today it'll be Christmas Eve. For those who don't have the holiday schedule clearly in mind yet, here's the word. Last day of fall term exams is December 22, which is a Thursday, and the last business day for the university will be the Friday, December 23. Then the place is closed except for essential services (police, utilities, Student Life Centre) for a week and a half. Staff return to work Tuesday, January 3, which is also the first day of winter term classes. Oh yes, money matters: monthly payday (for faculty and most staff members) will be Friday, December 23.

    CAR

    Communications and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
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